The data connection provided by a wireless communication network to a wireless device generally comprises multiple segments or links between the collection of core network and radio network nodes being used to support the connection. For example, in LTE, a Packet Data Network Gateway, PGW, provides connectivity between a User Equipment, UE, and an external Packet Data Network, PDN, and the end-to-end bearer data path between the PGW and the UE has at least three distinct segments: a radio bearer between the UE and its serving base station (eNodeB), a data bearer between the eNodeB and the Serving Gateway, SGW, (referred to as an “S1” bearer), and a data bearer between the serving SGW and the PGW (referred to as an “S5” bearer).
In conventional networks, a network and/or the wireless device may initiate a change in the radio bearer based on an evaluation of relative signal qualities between the wireless device and its current serving base station and one or more neighboring base stations that are candidates for serving the wireless device. It is recognized herein that a conventional base station handover based on signal strength fails to consider the relative capabilities of the core network nodes supporting the existing data path of the wireless device, as compared to corresponding other network nodes that are available for use in forming an alternate data path that may or may not involve changing radio bearers and/or base stations. While conventional handover may provide or maintain the Quality of Service, QoS, experienced by a given wireless device based on handing it over to a base station offering improved radio signal quality, such handover does not consider the relative capabilities of network nodes upstream from the new base station. That is, while the handover may provide the wireless device with a better radio link, it does not weigh or otherwise evaluate the capabilities of any upstream nodes involved in the handover. Furthermore, it is recognized herein that wireless devices generally are blind to differences in the service capabilities between nodes in the core network.